Child&#39;s harness



Dec. 6, 1927. 1,651,561

RUTH-ELLEN STOREY CHILD S HARNES 5 Filed July 19. 1926 zfwg Patented Dec. 6, 1927 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUTH-ELLEN STOREY, OI PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

' CHILD'S HARNESS.

Application filed July 19,

The present invention relates to means for tying, leading and holding small children Ior infants, and pertains more partlcularly to a soft pliable harness adapted to be em- 5 ployed for the above named purpose.

The invention has for its principal object the provision of suitable harness which will be effective in restraining children from escape therefrom, while allowing for comfort together with freedom of motion within certain limits.

Another object of the invention is to provide a harness of the above mentioned character which will not bind or choke, or in terfere with the circulation, or be otherwise harmful.

Another object of the invention is to pro-- vide a harness of the said. character which may be easily applied or removed by the childs attendant, while making it practically impossible for the child to remove it.

Another object of the invention is to provide suitable strength and re-enforcement for the harness without sacrificing comfort.

Another and important-object of the invention is to eliminate adjustments, buckles, snaps, hooksand all fastenings, as well as metal or any heavy parts. 1

Still other objects and advantages of my invention will appear hereinafter.

I have illustrated by the accompanying drawings, one practical embodiment of my invent-ion, it being understood that I do not limit myself to this embodiment, but may employ any construction or arrangement of parts coming within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the said drawings;

Figure 1 is a pers ective view taken slightly to one side 0 the front of the harness. a

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device as seen from the rear.

Figure 3 is a view in section seen on a line 33 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a view in section seen on a line 44 of Fig. 2.

In carry ng out my invention in this embodiment, I employ a band 8, adapted to extend about two thirds of the way around the childs body, and a breast plate 9, associated with a band in a manner to form a complete annulus or girdle, adapted to completely encircle the body. The corresponding ends of the band are stitched, as at 11 and 12,

1986. Serial No. 123,512.

respectively, to the breast late. The breast plate extends upwardly a ove the orbit of the band and is preferably made with ample area to prevent undue pressure or restriction upon the childs body, especially in the case of the child attempting to strain forwardly against the pull of the said breast plate.

The breast plate and band are of soft pliable fabric, such as linen. The plate consists of two plies, 9 and 9*, respectively; the ends of the band terminating between the two plies to provide a neat joint at that point, and to provide for maximum strength. The plate 'may be bound and ornamented by means of ornamental stitching 14: Suitable ornamental or amusing figures, such as 15, may be embroidered upon the plate.

Two spaced shoulder straps 16, are provided. Each strap is stitched to the plate. as at 17, while the other end of the strap is stitched to the waist band, as at 18. The shoulder straps are secured to the breast plate in the same neat manner in which the ends of the waist are secured. Preferably, for the sake of strength, coupled with pliability, the bands are folded double, as at 20, and stitched on the outside, as at 21. so that great strength is'provided with light weight material.

It will -be apparent now that the waist band maybe passed down over the body of the child until the band is at or above the waist, while the breast plate is disposed over the chest. The device shown is suitable for various sizes of infants and children, and the exact disposition of the waist band and breast plate is not material, inasmuch as the breast plate is broad enough to prevent undue pressure at any point of the body at which it is disposed. When the band and plate act to encircle the body, the shoulder straps hold the parts from falling lower.

In conformance with a salient feature of the invention, the shoulderstraps are joined by a transverse band or back-strap. This back-strap is stitched to the respective shoulder straps. as at 23 and 24, respectively, and provides for holding the shoulder straps from slipping from the shoulders.

Measuring from the waist band to the breast plate, the back-strap is located about one third of the way from said waist band to said breast plate, so that it comes squarely across the back of the child. It will be apparent now that the back-strap, the correspending underlying portion of the waist band, and the two connecting portions of the shoulder stra s provide a quadrilateral open brace which liecomes well dis oscd over the childs back. In the case of ackward 1111 against the device, the child is properly ield without pressure becoming unduly great on any limited area of the back. The entire arrangement is light and airy.

In conformance with another sal1ent feature of my invention, I provide a pair of reins or tie-straps 25. Each tie-strap 1s rovided at one end with a loop 26, whic is large enough to fit. loosely around the waist band. In manufacturing the harness, the waist band is passed through the loops before the ends of the waist band are secured to the breast plate. Thus the tie-straps are slidably connected to the waist band permancntly and are free to be moved from the corres ending adjacent shoulder strap aroun to the breast plate. The t e-straps are long enough to provide for being tied to the fixed part of a chair, crib, carriage or the like. in which it is desired to hold the child, while allowing free movement of the body. The device is made so that the waist band is slightly oversize for a given sized child. The device is applied by being placed over the head and then being moved down over the body until the shoulder straps limit further descent of the waist band.

It will be apparent now, that if the child is tied in a sitting posture, the sliding tiestraps provide for forward and backward movement of the childs body within comfortable limits. If the child is to be held in a reclining position. the sliding tie-straps provide for the child rolling, or turning from one side to the other, inasmuch as the straps are slidable on the waist band, circumferentially of the body. Also, regardless of whether or not the straps are used for tying or leading, the fact remains, that the straps will always adjust themselves to the most comfortable position, whereas if the straps were fixed, they might cause undue strain at some particular point of the body.

It will be apparent now, that the breast plate provides for distributing any strain well over the abdomen or the chest, while the quadrilateral arrangement in the rear provides comfort and proper distribution of. stresses over the back, and the whole device provides comfort and is efficient in holding a. child while permitting of freedom of movement.

I claim:

1. In a childs harness, a broad flexible breast plate of substantially rectangular form and of a size to substantially cover the chest, a comparatively thin waist band of substantially constant width having corre sponding ends attached to said breast plate adjacent corresponding lower corners of said plate; said waist band co-acting with the plate to provide a complete annular band to encompass the body, a pair of spaced shoulder straps; each shoulder strap having one end attached to the waist band at the rear thereof and each shoulder strap having the other end attached to the corresponding side of the upper edge of said breast plate, and a pair of tie straps, each tie strap having a loop loosely encompassing and slidable upon a corresponding portion of said waist band.

2. The harness as in claim 1 and further including a back strap joining said shoulder straps and in spaced paralleled relation to a corresponding part of said waist band.

3. The harness as in claim 1 and in which harness said breast plate is composed of two co'extensive layers of material; and in which harness said waist band and the shoulder straps are each composed of two co-extensive layers of material; the said ends of said shoulder straps and said waist band which are attached to said breast plate being so attached by reason of said ends being inserted between the said layers of said breast plate and being secured in such position.

RUTH-ELLEN STOREY. 

